Luigi Strano
"Callicarpa" shrub (American Beautyberry)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa) is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the family Lamiaceae; between 40-150 species are accepted by different botanists. They are native to east and southeast Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, southeast North America and Central America.The temperate species are deciduous, the tropical species evergreen. The leaves are simple, opposite, and 5-25 cm long. The flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The fruit is a berry, 2-5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for birds and other animals, though they will not eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly astringent but are made into wine and jelly. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer.
Flowers.American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana is native to the southeastern United States. It can typically reach 1-2 m in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Cespuglio originario del sud degli Stati Uniti. Tra tutti gli arbusti da bacca la calliparca è molto particolare. Sono infatti poche le piante che possono sfoggiare dei frutti dal colore così strano: le bacche che produce la callicarpa infatti sono di un viola metallico che dà loro un aspetto davvero alieno e curioso. Non per niente gli americani la chiamano “Beautyberry”, appunto “belle bacche”. Le bacche sono la parte più interessante per chi vuole dare un posto a questo arbusto nel proprio giardino: hanno un grande impatto estetico nel momento magico in cui la pianta perde le foglie e si mantengono a lungo durante i primi freddi, sui rami lisci.
"Callicarpa" shrub (American Beautyberry)
Beautyberry (Callicarpa) is a genus of shrubs and small trees in the family Lamiaceae; between 40-150 species are accepted by different botanists. They are native to east and southeast Asia (where the majority of the species occur), Australia, southeast North America and Central America.The temperate species are deciduous, the tropical species evergreen. The leaves are simple, opposite, and 5-25 cm long. The flowers are in clusters, white to pinkish. The fruit is a berry, 2-5 mm diameter and pink to red-purple with a highly distinctive metallic lustre, are very conspicuous in clusters on the bare branches after the leaves fall. The berries last well into the winter or dry season and are an important survival food for birds and other animals, though they will not eat them until other sources are depleted. The berries are highly astringent but are made into wine and jelly. Callicarpa species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Endoclita malabaricus and Endoclita undulifer.
Flowers.American Beautyberry Callicarpa americana is native to the southeastern United States. It can typically reach 1-2 m in height. A jelly can be made from its ripe berries.
Cespuglio originario del sud degli Stati Uniti. Tra tutti gli arbusti da bacca la calliparca è molto particolare. Sono infatti poche le piante che possono sfoggiare dei frutti dal colore così strano: le bacche che produce la callicarpa infatti sono di un viola metallico che dà loro un aspetto davvero alieno e curioso. Non per niente gli americani la chiamano “Beautyberry”, appunto “belle bacche”. Le bacche sono la parte più interessante per chi vuole dare un posto a questo arbusto nel proprio giardino: hanno un grande impatto estetico nel momento magico in cui la pianta perde le foglie e si mantengono a lungo durante i primi freddi, sui rami lisci.